Views from falkirk (2 Viewers)

[Evo1883]

Friend of mine asked on their forums about how they progressed under pressley , heres a couple of interesting replies .

Interesting differences. For us, I would say he was not a bad judge of a player, but was absolutely clueless at putting an effective team on the park. His brand of football could be for the most part, excruciatingly boring. He was always more worried about trying to nullify the opposition rather than imposing the things we were good at.

Obviously he brought young players into our team, but he had little or no choice in the matter. He always gives his players excuses for not winning, and it does become a bit tedious.

For all that, he is by all accounts, a very decent and honourable guy, and will give your cause everything that he has to give. Whether that's enough, only you guys can decide.

One other thing.......Pressleys brand of scaredy cat football meant that whenever you played anyone above you in the league, it was near enough certain that you wouldn't win. Whenever we played what he thought to be a "big name" side in the league, he would have the players completely psyched out of winning the game. This happened time and time again. He presided over an away draw and an away 1-4 defeat against Cowdenbeath that were two of the most negative and cowardly performances I have ever seen from us (until yesterday).

Pressleys best quality was his evangelical preaching on his football philosophy.

Even after crap results and performances. I saw him have the most gnarled embittered supporters singing his praises after a fans meeting or AGM.

I think he's not a bad manager, his negative tactics in our situation certainly grated, but I'd swap him for our current manager in a heartbeat.

I would link the discussion but my ipad is having a paddy

 

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[junglej13]

He strikes me as a very inexperienced manager still learning his trade who basically doesnt know what hes doing. When he first came he played 4-5-1. Then changed to 4-4-2 for the start of last season 'because he'd seen Borussia Dortmund play it'. After Clarke and Wilson were out after Jan some of his messing around with the strikers beggared belief - Signing Slager, playing George Thomas at Leyton Orient and then finally playing Jordan fucking Clarke (his full name in my house) up top just stunk of sheer cluelessness. Last year he seemed to value pace and width which hw has now abandoned. This year he has gone for this horrific dull formation which he hasnt got a clue how to play basically off the back of teams playing it in the World Cup. The fact he seemed to decide to play the 5-3-2 after signing Swanson, O'Brien and Coulibaly is almost laughable. The final sign of stupidity was not getting Petrasso 'because he didnt fit the system'. Basically any player who may threaten the oppositions goal is not welcome under the current Pressley system. He is quickly rivalling Coleman for the worst style of football I have witnessed and in my eyes is 2 games away from the inevitable sack.

 

[Dimi_Konstantflapalot]

He strikes me as a very inexperienced manager still learning his trade who basically doesnt know what hes doing. When he first came he played 4-5-1. Then changed to 4-4-2 for the start of last season 'because he'd seen Borussia Dortmund play it'. After Clarke and Wilson were out after Jan some of his messing around with the strikers beggared belief - Signing Slager, playing George Thomas at Leyton Orient and then finally playing Jordan fucking Clarke (his full name in my house) up top just stunk of sheer cluelessness. Last year he seemed to value pace and width which hw has now abandoned. This year he has gone for this horrific dull formation which he hasnt got a clue how to play basically off the back of teams playing it in the World Cup. The fact he seemed to decide to play the 5-3-2 after signing Swanson, O'Brien and Coulibaly is almost laughable. The final sign of stupidity was not getting Petrasso 'because he didnt fit the system'. Basically any player who may threaten the oppositions goal is not welcome under the current Pressley system. He is quickly rivalling Coleman for the worst style of football I have witnessed and in my eyes is 2 games away from the inevitable sack.

Agree with your point here about the change of formations - he has changed it at the start of every season now. Going from 1 up front (which was the reason for letting people like Cody McDonald leave as he couldn't play as a lone striker), to 2 up front with Clarke & Wilson, to 3-5-2 to essentially shore up the defence. I think he has honourable footballing 'principles' and 'philosophy' but that means bugger all when you become so inflexible with the team's shape.

Pro footballers should have the flexbility and knowledge to comfortably switch formations if they know them both well enough. Why we can't do this, instead of sticking with the same style for a season before changing it, I don't know.

 

[Sick Boy]

His insistence of copying the tactics of teams he watches in the WC/CL is concerning. He seems to talk a good game but not a lot else really.

 

[junglej13]

Someone said on another thread at times its actually like he is playing Championship Manager. He has overcomplicated things massively since January. Last year after Clarke left, admittedly Wilson was injured which caused obvious problems, but when Wilson came back he basically had the chance to pretty much replicate the team that had done so well at the start of the season if he found a player in the mould of Clarke. He chose to alter the formation completely, decided he didnt like Blair Adams, changed the whole balance of the team and it seemed no one knew what they were doing. He brought in Robinson and Prutton and banged on about the importance of this type of player and highlighted Diagouraga as a target... but then seemed to change his tune and decide we didnt need one as he was going to adopt the magical 5-3-2 formation.

 

[ccfc92]

His insistence of copying the tactics of teams he watches in the WC/CL is concerning. He seems to talk a good game but not a lot else really.

Agreed.

Personally, I want to go into coaching when I'm a bit older, and if i'm the manager/coach of the team, I'd coach them my way, adapting to the players I've got. If I've got a 10bellies who's a rock in centre mid, I'm not going to play him as a winger because of something I've seen on the TV.

Not saying we have any 10bellies players before you go all QPR on me

 

[chiefdave]

Not a fan of the role but do we need a director of football or something similar? Someone with a bit of experience to advise him along the way.

 

[junglej13]

Read an excellent article about Notts County recently and Shaun Derrys success. A lot of this is down to the partnership with Greg Abbott I believe. They have done exactly what we need I think - he brought in an experienced goalkeeper in Roy Carroll who has been immense for them.

 

[Evo1883]

Read an excellent article about Notts County recently and Shaun Derrys success. A lot of this is down to the partnership with Greg Abbott I believe. They have done exactly what we need I think - he brought in an experienced goalkeeper in Roy Carroll who has been immense for them.

How much have they spent do you know , im guessing mostly frees and loans

 

[EastLancsCov]

"But Pressley's done the job with one hand tied behind his back" blah, blah, blah.........

 

[Covstu]

There have been some concerning comments about wanting to play like barca etc. All well and good but we do not have Messi and Suarez to play that style of football!!

 

[Kingokings204]

"But Pressley's done the job with one hand tied behind his back" blah, blah, blah.........

People who say this including me are right, its a fact I will point you towards sixfields and spent not a penny on a transfer since he has arrived. Sold millions worth in fees mainly Wilson circa 3m and Clarke 1m and lots of top earners got rid of including mcsheffrey and baker and Murphy.


Wilson and Clarke were the best in the division partnership wise and he got the maximum out of them, SP is not a bad manager he is playing Cards with out a full deck and whilst most managers in this league also have they havn't had to go through what SP has with sixfields and such a cut back in wages etc.

That said Players go look at Assombolonga at Peterborough they get sold but they got more money and still top 6 in the league. SP is clearly failing also don't get me wrong but its clearly both the manager and owners shit together causing this crisis and it is a crisis. Sisu are ultimately to blame as they are the owners and the line gets drawn with them. They hired SP. He tries so hard but he clearly lacks quality. I said the same about Michael Doyle, he gave you 100% each match for 8 years bless him but he is one of the worst players for Coventry I have ever seen I say similar to Conor Thomas cant knock the lads effort but he is part of the problem as he cant play football im afraid.

The truth is the owners and SP are both not up to it and the owners must take more responsibility as they actually own the club. SP at least tries and hasn't been dealt a fair hand lets be honest. We could of done worse but proof is in the pudding and results and his record show he isn't any good. Any other manager wouldn't of signed a 4 year deal and lasted as long at any other club.

 

[EastLancsCov]

I wonder how much Scunthorpe, Rochdale, Crawley, Crewe and Oldham, etc have spent. Are they teams well known for having big budgets?
It's a cop out of an excuse.
Clearly some of them have better managers who can achieve results with next to nothing.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

I wonder how much Scunthorpe, Rochdale, Crawley, Crewe and Oldham, etc have spent. Are they teams well known for having big budgets?
It's a cop out of an excuse.
Clearly some of them have better managers who can achieve results with next to nothing.

People would rather moan that we haven't signed Messi and Bale